How Your Thinking Can Physically Change Your Body

We have all been there at one point. We wish that the way to muscle was simply through our ability to think about going to the gym instead of the time required itself. Interestingly, this idea may not be as far-fetched as originally thought. Though published some time ago, research by Alvaro Pascual-Leone et al. (1995) demonstrates that thinking about a process activates the same neural circuitry as if the process were actually being conducted itself. What does this mean? Well, even if you weren't to perform the activity, simply thinking of the activity would build the neural circuits required for it and enhance your ability to perform that action.

Pascual-Leone et al. (1995) established this by measuring the brains motor areas in two groups of students, one asked to physically play a sequence of piano keys, while another was told to practice the same amount of time but only in thought. Using trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) Alvaro was able to map the dimensions of the motor area after the training was complete. Here, even students who only mentally rehearsed the schedule on the piano led to enhancements in the area of motor cortex designated for the motor task.

Though simple in nature, as an aspiring neuroscientist this study brings about ideas of amazing benefits. For example, imagine stroke patients who may be able to regain functional control of their paralyzed limbs simply by thinking about the action in the re-development of neural circuits. For a simpler example, imagine being able to learn to manipulate regions of your brain through mental practice to enhance your ability in certain aspects of your intelligence. Though I am personally not familiar with the true possibilities of these ideas nor of recent research in this field, the opportunities for changing the brain through mental processes seems almost magical.

On my other blog, Neurosimplicity (http://neurosimplicity.blogspot.ca/) , I will attempt to see if I can work on being ambidextrous simply by practicing mentally and taking sample writings every week. Check it out if you are curious about the results! In the meantime, simply imagine the possibilities if we as humans are able to change our brains simply by thinking about an action or perhaps even a thought pattern! Perhaps this will soon be related to cognitive behavioural therapy in application. In the meantime, the possibilities seem endless.

References:
1. Pascual Leone, P., Nguyet, D., Cohen, L. G., Brasil-Neto, J. P, Cammarota, A., Hallett, M. (1995) Modulation of muscle responses evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation during the acquisition of new fine motor skills. Journal of Neurophysiology, 74(3), 1037-1045.